1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to an improved flossing device.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
A preliminary patentability search in class 132, subclasses 324 and 325 produced the following patents: Perkins, U.S. Pat. No. 911,068; Kenyon, U.S. Pat. No. 1,174,016; Hochstadter, U.S. Pat. No. 1,465,669; Rose, U.S. Pat. No. 1,966,463; Spiegel et al, U.S. Pat. No. 1,733,631; Cohen, U.S. Pat. No. 2,644,469; and Bowden, U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,234. While the above patents disclose various dental floss dispensers and holders, none disclose or suggest the present invention. More specifically, none of the above patents disclose or suggest a flossing device including, in combination, handle means for being held by the user, the handle means having a forward end, having a hollow interior for holding the dental floss and having an aperture extending from the hollow interior for allowing the distal end of the dental floss to extend outward from the hollow interior; a first arm member extending outward from the forward end of the handle means, the first arm member having an outer end positioned a spaced distance from the forward end of the handle means; a second arm member extending outward from the forward end of the handle means, the second arm member having an outer end positioned a spaced distance from the forward end of the handle means and from the outer end of the first arm member; and positioning means for positioning a portion of the distal end of the dental floss between the outer end of the first arm member and the outer end of the second arm member and for holding the portion of the distal end of the dental floss tight between the outer end of the first arm member and the outer end of the second arm member, the positioning means including first lock means for locking the dental floss relative to the first arm member, and second lock means for locking the dental floss relative to the second arm member; one of the lock means being spring activated to automatically lock the dental floss relative to one of the arm members.